Covered expansion joint



March 30, 1954 R T, LYONS COVERED EXPANSION JOINT Filed Nov. 24, 1948INVENTOR flawza Z [Yd/VJ.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVEREDEXPANSION JOINT chusetts Application November 24, 1948, Serial No.61,888

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device for covering the vertical faces ofexpansion joints in masonry constructions. This invention is primarilyconcerned with a device for covering the vertical faces of expansionjoints containing heat-liquefiable rubberized bituminous sealingcompositions. In the construction of large concrete structures, such asathletic stadia and the like, the concrete portions of the structuresare formed in sections and joints between adjacent sections are providedto accommodate the expansion and contraction of the concrete under theatmospheric conditions encountered in service. These joints are filledwith an adhesive, elastic sealing compound which is supported by a metalwater-stop or the like positioned in the joint below the surface of theexposed portion of the structure. Rubberized bituminous compositionswhich may be liquefied at elevated temperatures of the order of 400 to500 F., and poured into the joint are particularly suitable for thispurpose. A problem arises, however, in connection with the vertical faceof expansion joints in which such sealing compositions are employed as,for example, in the vertical riser sections of stadium terraces. Whenthe liquefied sealing material is poured into the joint there is atendency for it to run out along the vertical face of the joint beforethe material has had time to solidify. Further, sealing compositionsemployed for this purpose exhibit cold flow and, during periods ofexpansion when the space between adjacent concrete sections is narrowed,the sealing material tends to be forced out of the vertical face of thejoint and becomes displaced, making the joint unsightly and sometimescausing permanent injury to the bond between the composition and theconcrete. It is an object of the invention to provide a device whichwill afford lateral support for the sealing composition in verticalfaces of expansion joints.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of thecharacter indicated which will be suitable for permanent installationacross the vertical face of an expansion joint and which will preventobjectionable displacement of the sealing composition during periods ofexpansion. According to the invention, I provide a device having a body,with a substantially flat outer surface, and arm-like extensions which,when the body is placed across the vertical face of an expansion joint,extend into the joint and become firmly embedded in the sealingcomposition subsequently poured into the joint and allowed to cool. Mydevice provides a permanent lateral support for the sealing compositionin the expansion joint while permitting free expansion and contractionof the joint.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from thedetailed description which follows, and from the drawing, in which- Fig.1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention suitable forthe vertical faces of expansion joints in step-like constructions;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device of theinvention adapted for use with the lowermost vertical face of anexpansion joint in step-like constructions;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a concrete stepped construction showingthe use of the embodiments of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fi 3;

Fig. 5 is an embodiment of the invention particularly adapted for use incovering expansion joints having long vertical faces;

Fig. 6 shows the use of the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, the numeral mdesignates the body of one embodiment of my joint covering device whichis adapted for use in the construction of stepped structures. A leg I I,narrower than the body l0, extends downwardly from the lower edge of thebody It], and an arm I3 extends rearwardly from the upper portion of thebody l0 adjacent its upper edge. Arm I3 is relatively narrow comparedwith the body It and is provided with a flanged end I6. It will beobserved that the arm I3 is formed in such manner that it is joined tothe body l0 somewhat inwardly of the upper edge thereof, thereby formingtwo wings l4 and it. In this form of the device the body I0 is adaptedto extend across the vertical face of an expansion joint of a step risersection, the leg portion 1 l is adapted to extend downwardly into thesubjacent horizontal face of the joint and the arm I3 is adapted to bebent so that it forms an angle with the body portion of say about 75 andto extend obliquely into the joint.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2 an embodiment of the invention is shownwhich is particularly adapted to cover the face of the expansion jointin the lowermost riser section of a. stepped construction. In this formthe device comprises a body portion 28, an arm portion 2| extendingoutwardly from the body 20 adjacent the upper edge thereof, and an armportion 22 extending from the lower end of the body 20. Arm portions Mand 22 are provided with flanged ends 24 and 25 respectively.

In Fig. is shown an embodiment of my invention, designated generally bythe numeral 30, adapted for use in covering expansion joints havingrelatively long vertical faces as are formed, for example, in theconstruction of walls, dams and the like.

The body portion has a T-shaped cross section and comprises sidesections 33 and 34 and a center strip 35 extending outwardly at rightangles to the side sections at the juncture thereof. The body portionmay suitably be formed by joining two angle irons as shown in Fig. 5 orit may, for example, be formed from a single sheet of material foldedalong its median line to form the center strip 35 and then folded toform the side sections 33 and 34. Arms 36, which are provided withflanged ends 38, are secured to the center strip 35 and extend outwardlytherefrom. While three arms are shown in Fig. 5, additional arms may beprovided depending upon the length of the body portion. The arms areadapted to extend into the expansion joint and to be buried in thesealing composition, thereby holding the side sections 33 and 34 againstthe face of the expansion joint.

The expansion joint covering device of the invention is suitablyconstructed of relatively flexible sheet material such as sheet steel ofsay 24 to 26 gauge. Thus the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 maybe stamped or cut as a single piece from a sheet of material with thebody, leg and arm portions in coplanar relationship. As thus formed thedevice can be conveniently accumulated in uniform stacks and packaged.The arms are flexible and they are easily bent to the desired angle andthe flanged ends formed to accommodate the particular joint with whichthey are to be used.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the device of the inventionis shown covering the vertical faces of expansion joints, constructed inthe usual manner, in a series of concrete steps 39 as are found forexample, in a stadium terrace. In using my device as shown, the body ofthe device is placed across the vertical face of the expansion jointwith the arms extending into the joint and the sealing composition 40 isthen poured into the joint. While the sealing composition is beingpoured, it is advisable to hold the device in place by means of a sheetof sponge rubber or the like which also temporarily covers anyirregularities in the concrete adjacent the expansion joint and thusprevents the hot liquid sealing composition from leaking around the bodyof the device. The sealing composition, particularly if one of therubberized bituminous type is used, solidifies rapidly and the armportions of the device are soon securely held in place. The leg I lextending downwardly into the subjacent joint is likewise buried whenthe sealing composition is poured into that joint and the device is thusfirmly held in place. The exposed body portion may suitably be coatedwith an asphalt paint or similar black coating material to simulate the'color of the sealing composition and thereby to conceal the presence ofthe metal.

Referring particularly to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, a wall construction isshown having an expansion joint which has been covered by a plurality ofsuperposed devices of the form illustrated in Fig. 5. In preparing sucha joint the sealing composition is preferably poured intermittently in aseries of applications in order to prevent unduly large hydrostaticpressure. For example, the device is inserted into the joint at thelowermost portion thereof and sealing composition 40 is poured into thejoint up to the level of the top of the device and is then allowed tosolidify. Another joint covering device is then placed above thelowermost one and the sealing composition poured to the level of the topof this device and allowed to solidify. The remainder of the joint isfilled in a similar manner.

It will be apparent that various modifications in the structure of thejoint covering device illustrated may be made without departing from thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and it istherefore intended that all matter contained in the foregoingdescription and in the drawing shall be interpreted a illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A masonry structure comprising a pair of horizontally spaced,adjacent stepped sections, each section having upper and lowersubstantially horizontal faces connected by a substantially verticalface, the upper, lower and vertical faces of a section beingsubstantially coplanar with the respective faces of the other section,an elastic sealing composition disposed. in the space between the pairof sections, said sealing composition having upper and lowersubstantially horizontal surfaces connected by a substantially verticalsurface, said upper, lower and vertical surfaces of the sealingcomposition being substantially coplanar with the respect faces of thepair of stepped sections, a covering device having a substantiallyvertical body portion overlying the vertical surface of the sealingcomposition and partially overlapping the vertical faces of the pair ofsections to prevent lateral displacement of said sealing composition,said covering device including a lower portion of less width than saidbody portion, said lower portion extending downwardly from said bodyportion and embedded in the sealing composition between the lowerhorizontal faces of the pair of sections, said body portion furtherincluding a flexible arm adjacent the upper end thereof, the mainportion of said arm being disposed as substantially right angles to theplane of the body portion and extending into and being embedded in thesealing composition, the free end of said arm being disposed as asubstantially right angle to the main portion of said arm.

2. A masonry structure comprising a pair of horizontally spaced,adjacent stepped sections, each section having upper and lowersubstantially horizontal faces connected by a substantially verticalface, the upper, lower and vertical faces of a section beingsubstantially coplanar with the respective faces of the other section,an elastic sealing composition disposed in the space between the pair ofsections, said sealing composition having upper and lower substantiallyhorizontal surfaces connected by a substantially vertical surface, saidupper, lower and vertical surfaces of the sealing composition beingsubstantially coplanar with the respective faces of the pair of steppedsections, a covering device having a substantially vertical body portionoverlying the vertical surface of the sealing composition and partiallyoverlapping the vertical faces of the pair of sections to preventlateral displacement of said sealing composition, said body portionincluding a flexible arm adjacent the upper end thereof, the mainportion of said arm being disposed as substantially right angles to theplane of the body portion and extending into and being embedded in thesealing composition, the free end of said arm being disposed at asubstantially right angle to the main portion of said arm.

3. A masonry structure comprising steps, a plurality of expansion jointsin said steps dividing said steps into a plurality of horizontallyspaced sections, each expansion joint containing an elastic sealingcomposition having horizontal and vertical portions, and coveringdevices for the vertical portions of said expansion joints, eachcovering device comprising a substantially fiat body member positionedover a respective vertical portion of an expansion joint and partlyoverlying the surfaces of the adjacent masonry sections, and each bodymember having an elongated arm adjaoent one end thereof, said arm 20extending inwardly into the elastic sealing composition at asubstantially right angle to the body member.

RICHARD T. LYONE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,285,768 Megenity Nov. 2-5, 1218 2,016,968 Marble Oct. 8,1235 2,048,537 Burns July 21, 1936 2,983,781 Groves June 15, 193?2,147,269 Robertson Feb. 14, 1939 2,243,509 Plosa May 27, 194i FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 477,526 France of 1915 623,862 France 22,1927 22,377 Australia or" 1930

